While Loop Seems Endless - php

Question

I have a table named getinvolved and in this table there are various fields and values, obviously. One such is named The Route and contains text separated by commas. For the sake of this we'll say they are Spot 1, Spot 2, Spot. Yes the spaces matter.
Now, in my code I first break this value up into an array based on the commas: $route = explode(",", $row['Content']); Content is the name of the row that contains the Spot 1, Spot 2, Spot text value. This all works fine, I have echo'd this and it appears perfectly.
Next comes the tricky bit, I have multiple other entries that are instead of being labelled The Route are instead labelled Route. This is an entry for each possible spot, while the current route is Spot 1, Spot 2, Spot it could always change to Spot 2, Spot 1, Tops.
Each possible entry has it's own row: Name, Type, Content. Type is where Route is set, Name is the name of the spot, and Content contains a Google Maps URL to show the spot in Google Maps Street View.
What I'm trying to do is take my array $route[] which currently contains Spot 1, Spot 2, Spot and check those values against all others. I've created a separate array $echoroute[] and this contains the actual route with all the information.
My code is as follows:
$sql = mysqli_query($link, "SELECT * FROM getinvolved WHERE Type='Route'");
$echoroute = array_fill(0,count($route),""); #Gives $echoroute[] 3 empty elements as $route will always contain 3 elements at the moment.
$i = 0;
$max = count($route);
if($sql)
{
foreach($route as $ii)
{
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sql))
{
if($row['Name'] == $ii)
{
$echoroute[$i] = "<a href='" . $row['Content'] . "' target='_blank'>" . $row['Name'] . "</a> --> ";
echo $i . " / " . $max . "<br />";
$i+=1;
if($i==($max)) {break 2;} else {break 1;}
}
}
}
}
I'm unable to figure out why but at present during running this code all that happens is it will go through the if as $sql passes, it enters the first and second while loops and then gets to the if($row['Name'] == $route[$i]) part. Here it seems to work fine until it actually enters the if statement (the value in $row['Name'] is equal to the one in $route[$i]).
$total is increased as where I ask it to echo it does, but only once. The code ends and displays the following:
0 / 3
3
The 1 represents the $total variable, which should go through 3 times according to while($total<$max).
The / is me adding a separator for ease of reading.
The 3 is the $max variable, or count($route), the total number of spots included in the $route array.
And finally the trailing 3 is a count() function of $echoroute letting me know there are 3 elements in that array.
Ultimately, my question is, why does $total never get to 2 and finish the loop as I would require?
This took a while to write, so I hope you understand I've put a bit of thought into this, I wrote this a while ago, and it needs some updating and this is where I am currently at.
EDIT:
Have narrowed this down now! Using several echo functions, it appears that the last run through starts, but only makes it as far as the while statement. It never actually enters the while statement. Currently I have two results echo'd and the last result just so happens to be at the bottom of the table. It's the last one to be used before the while($row = statement ends of it's own accord. Am I trapping the while statement or do I need to release it or something? I'm really confused and so close to having the final piece!

Answer 1

You initialize $echoroute with count($route) elements (3 in your example).
You loop over a condition and increase value of $i and $total if a condition is met.
At this point, into the while loop where $total and $i values are 2 ( while condition is met 2 < 3 ) and if they enter the if condition you get 3 value for $i and $total and if you echo $echoroute[$i] then you've got an error, because $echoroute is a 3 element array and you are pointing to a fourth element (remember array indices start from 0 ).
I think this is why you are not getting you expected output.

Answer 2

i'd write it this way, since there is chance (following Moor laws) that the loop on $total never ends
$sql = mysqli_query($link, "SELECT * FROM getinvolved WHERE Type='Route'");
$echoroute = array_fill(0,count($route),""); #Gives $echoroute[] 3 empty elements as $route will always contain 3 elements at the moment.
$i = 0;
$total = 0;
$max = count($route);
if($sql)
{
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sql))
{
if($row['Name'] == $route[$i])
{
$echoroute[$i] = "<a href='" . $row['Content'] . "' target='_blank'>" . $row['Name'] . "</a> --> ";
$i++;
$total++;
if ($total>$max) break;
echo $total . " / " . $max . "<br />" . $echoroute[$i] . count($echoroute);
}
}
}